Whispers of Destiny - FFCC Ring of Fates
by Damian RR
Summary: Yuri and Chelinka have been infected by a currently incurable virus. Damian, a boy who also lives at Villa, is sent to meet a member of the royal family to collect a special herb for Latov, the twins' father. However, he finds something out about the future, and when he returns to Villa, things aren't the same. And they never will be. (Cover Image Unavailable)
1. Chapter 1

**Whispers of Destiny – Ring of Fates FanFic**

**Chapter 1, Part 1 – Virus Introduction and the "Crimson Moon"?**

_The holy presence of the Great Crystal is all that shields the planet from the ominous glow of the evil__Crimson Moon._

The villa was dark. Shadows loomed over the basic houses, being fought back by the small flickers of fireplaces that escaped out the window. Owls hooted, the light reflecting off their eyes, revealing a golden set of rings. The trees shifted in the rain, constantly being pelted by droplets of rain. The sky brightened for a brief second, lightning striking the ground somewhere. The explosion-like noise could be heard even from the small village, despite the distance. In the sky, for not even a millisecond, Damian swore he caught a glimpse of a crimson moon. Perhaps it was just his imagination. He had been boarding up the well so that it didn't overflow, all night. His clothes were drenched, dripping from head to toe. His medium-length brown hair fell over his stormy blue eyes. He was used to the rain. He noticed a quick light appear from the library.

"Damian!" The man appeared to have some sort of sallet on, but it covered his whole face.

He had never seen Al without that helmet on, as if it were his head in a whole. Damian nailed the last board to the stone well, covering the already full well from filling up anymore. He snatched the lantern that was under the roof of the well, dashing over to the library, retreating inside. Inside, the building was warm. In the middle, was a large fireplace which lit the entire area. Lining the walls were shelves of books, all containing vast amounts of knowledge. Damian had read a bunch of them in his spare time, but he knew he wasn't even close to finishing the whole collection.

"Working again, huh lad? What are you doing at this time of night, especially in this weather?" Al asked him, taking a seat in a chair with a book in hand.

"The thunderstorm worried everyone and we forgot to close the well in the panic of fortifying the houses." He replied, taking off his work boots, placing them by the door. His overalls were soaked with water, as well as his shirt, but hanging them out to dry once the storm passed wouldn't be too much of a problem.

"Your normal clothes are upstairs with Stiltzkin." Al looked towards the upper portion of the library. A little red ball could be seen moving around in joy.

"Thanks." Damian quickly ran upstairs, trying to take as few steps as possible to minimize the amount of water that fell off him.

His clothes were simple. A blue, sewed shirt that had sleeves as if they were ripped off. You could see the stitches across the shoulders as well as some on the collar, which could be propped up or put down. A black button was sewn onto the left hip of the shirt, just in case the one of the collar ripped off. Along with this was a pair of black traveling pants, seems were able to be seen. To finish it off, his black lace boots with a pair of long socks.

Damian took off his wet clothes, hanging them over the metal bucket in the corner. He slipped on his shirt, followed by his pants and socks. He rolled his pant legs up temporarily, putting his boots on. Damian stuffed the pant legs, which he unrolled, into the boot, to give a slim and slightly-poofy look. He tied the laces together tight, then returned to the large fireplace.

Al continued to read his book. He was talking to himself, sometimes laughing as he figured something out. He was much indulged in it. The library was filled with numerous kinds of books. History books, magic training books, swordplay books, and even fairy tales written for little kids. At his age, the fairy tale books weren't very enjoyable, but he mainly liked to read about the history of past kings. Awhile ago, Al offered to teach him magic, using the stones known as Magicites. Stones that when broken or casted through, would cast the magic stored in it. It was found out that the Yukes of the royal family found out how to extract magic from certain objects, and fortify them into magicite with the help of a their magical prowess. For example, a healing magicite is created using herbs and special potions. Antidote magicites were created using poison ivy, which had the opposite effect when its magic was extracted. Instead of being harm, it became a suppressant for the poison, until it eventually went away. How did Damian know all this? Al had been teaching him for quite some time now. The art of magic and the possibilities of using the magicites. One could even activate two fusible magicities at the same time to create a new spell. Yukes and their students had been using this trick to keep invaders from getting to their towns and cities.

Swordplay was also in his interest. Latov had been teaching him basic and advanced movements of using a sword, but he had also been reading the books to learn about other tricks that he could teach himself. Damian walked over to one of the bookshelves, running his finger across the spines to find a certain one. He silently smiled when he found the right one, taking it out by the top and placing a small piece of wood in its place. He was going to pick up from where he left off. The next technique.

_The Art of Swordplay –_

_Technique Number Fourteen – Immobilize_

_The wielder backsteps away from a incoming attack, ducking down and slashes the target's legs._

_The wielder can also duck instead of back stepping, but one must be wary of their opponent's maneuvers._

It showed a rough drawing of each step.

"You should get some rest." A man's voice told him, as the door opened and closed loudly. The library wasn't very big, but the slam still echoed a bit.

"Sir Latov!" Al was immediately away from his book, placing a bookmark in it. He set it on a nearby table, standing up from his chair. Damian stood up to greet him, placing the swordplay book on the chair he was sitting in. He remembered what page he was on, so a mark was not necessary.

"How are they doing?" Damian asked the long blond haired man, who appeared to be worried.

"Nothing has changed." He scowled, but followed it up with a smile to try to keep the mood up.

"Those two have been sick for months now, are you sure there are no cures?" Al questioned Latov, who was usually the one to answer a question rather than ask one.

"I received a letter from an old friend in Rebena Te Ra, he said that he found an herb in the forest that he had never seen before." Latov pulled out the letter from a small cloth pouch he had slung across his chest. Damian took a closer look at it. The seal on it was definitely from the city, but it was also the royal seal. He pointed it out, showing it to the other two.

"Good eyes kid!" He laughed, knowing that Damian would be the first to notice.

"Who are we going to send? We can't send Stiltzkin. You need to stay with those two, and Al needs to constantly research." Damian said, trying to figure out who they could send to receive the herb.

"Can I trust you with this?" Latov looked at him, still managing to hold a smile.

"I mean, I don't really mind but, if this person's part of the royal family, do you really think they'll believe that I'm the one collecting it for you?" He asked. Yes, it was true. The royal family, no matter how kind their king was, would not let someone who just says they are there to get something, take it and leave without any proof.

"Don't worry! I'll write a response letter with our own seal on it! You just worry about getting some rest. You'll be heading out tomorrow, the next day if we have any problems though." Latov patted him on the back, taking the letter and putting it back in his pouch. He moved to the side with Al, whispering something in a serious tone.

"Alright! I'll get going then!" He waved goodbye, leaving the library. The rain sounded lighter. Al placed his book back on the shelf, as Damian did the same.

"Make sure that Stiltzkin doesn't keep Mog up all night." Al reminded him as he exited the library, most likely heading back to his home. Damian laughed, stretching. He wringed the water out from his clothes, using that water to extinguish the large fire slowly. The magicite lights were still on, but there really was no way to turn those off without removing the magicite, which would break it. Damian went upstairs, sitting next to the small fire pit in which Stiltzkin and Mog sat by.

Moogles. Small creatures with mouse-like faces and plump, furry bodies. They had varying sized ears and were a light tan color, similar to skin. They had a long, black, string-like piece coming off their head which held a red fuzzy ball at the end. Tiny bat wings sprouted from their backs as well. Stiltzkin was a traveling merchant moogle, who was known for moving from town to town, country to country. However, he had taking a liking to Villa, and had been staying in the library with Damian and Mog. Stiltzkin had large ears that were tipped with a brown, as well as a headband that was wrapped into yellow and blue circles. He carries a bag on his back, as well as has what seems to be a blue apron held to his body with two bands similar to his headband, except the bottom one being dark red and light gray, and wrapped into diamond shapes. He has two pieces of cloth falling from right below his head and from the bottom band of his clothes. Mog, unlike Stiltzkin who wore them for an appealing look to his customers, didn't have a need for clothes. Mog had ears similar to Stiltzkin, a little smaller, and had his small bat wings already. Mog had been attached to Damian for awhile, as if he were his pet. Damian patted Mog's head lightly, causing him to "smile". Damian opened the door behind him, it creaking loudly, the room becoming quickly illuminated by the fireplace outside the room. On top of the simple book case, lied an old stick. The end was slightly charred from all the times he lit a candle, and was stained black. Just like he had done numerous times, he snatched up the stick, lighting it aflame using the fireplace. He gently touched the wick of the candle, blowing the flame off the stick. An old closet, originally used for storing forbidden books. Or, at least, that's what it seemed like. He could not remember any of the names off the top of his head, but what he COULD remember was the brutality depicted in some of them. A chill ran down his spine just thinking about it. Priests torturing people for information. Crucifixion, beating, choking, all things he had never seen, but now learned about. However, the priests of churches were no longer allowed to do that by the order of the king, according to the history book. As King Kolka, the current king, who is ruling from the city of Rebena Te Ra, was the third king to place a law on the powers of priests. It had a special name, that law, but he couldn't remember it. He shook his head, wiping the horrible images from his brain. On his bookshelf, lied only a few books that he had taken a liking to. One, was a second copy of _The Art of Swordplay_. Second, was _Magicite Combination Spells_. Third, was—well, he didn't know for sure. The name was completely faded, and scribbled out with ink. The concept of the book was too hard to explain, even for Damian, who was pretty intelligent.

He glanced out the window. The moon was bright, and white in color. It must have been the fatigue that caused him to see that crimson moon. But, it flashed before his eyes again. A circle of terror, reigning in the sky. What was it? However, it quickly changed as the next cloud crossed it. His eyes grew heavier. He had been working for most of the night, as well as exploring the nearby forest for unknown herbs that they could use to conjure up something for Yuri and Chelinka. Was it hopeless though? Damian, at one point, thought it was impossible to heal the two twins, considering their conditions. Latov, however, continued to work hard, wearing smile as his two children may be on the brink of death.

_What would happen if he were to disappear?_ Damian thought. He couldn't imagine what would happen to the two, as well as to the whole village. Everyone trusted Latov, and he seemed to be the leader of the place too. Villa wasn't just some random doodle on a map, it was his home, as well as everyone's who lived here. Yuri, Chelinka, Al, Meeth, and the other villagers, even Stiltzkin was included, despite his mischievous merchant offers. He didn't know when it happened, but he dozed off on the small bed. Damian wondered what tomorrow would be like. He had never really been to the city, maybe once or twice, but he only got a brief look at the outside. It would be his first time actually entering the place, let alone the castle. At least, that's what he was expecting. He didn't think someone that's part of the royal family would be walking around the city without any guards. Thunder seemed to shout at him, as if it were trying to interrupt his sleep. Lightning strikes lit up the sky. But, he slept through it. _I just hope I don't wake up too late,_ he thought to himself before he actually did fall asleep.

**Chapter 1, Part 2 – Preparation and Departure**

Damian yawned as he woke up. He went down the steps to the main area of the library. The doors had not been touched, or so it seemed. He could tell only because Al's bookmark was in the same place as it was last night. Judging by that, he must've woken up pretty early. Al usually arrived before he woke up, and Stiltzkin was upstairs on the floor, lying on his back asleep along with Mog. The sound of grindstones filled his ears. Damian opened the large doors with two hands, the sun basking the entire library in a fresh light. Not too far away from the library, Latov sat at a log, sharpening a sword with a special kind of rock. Damian could see the small orange sparks fly off and disappear into the green grass, which waved slightly in the gentle breeze. Al was still nowhere to be found. Someone already unbarred the well, leaving him with one less job. The sound of his boot stepping against the mud was loud, causing Latov to look up from his work. He greeted Damian with a wave, returning back to sharpening the blade. It was a long sword. The blade was thin, a glorious silvery shined blade. The hilt was made of sturdy dark wood wrapped in cloth. The pommel was a circle which was carved to make it seem like there was a gemstone socket, but just the wood carved into a wooden ball. The guard was straight, again carved intricately with lines and curves. Some of the other villagers passed him, giving him a smile and a wave like they always did, but he could still tell they were worried about the twins. If he said he wasn't worried, he would be lying. The villagers proceeded to their jobs, some cutting already cut down trees into separate logs while others sewed inside. Right now, Meeth was with the two, watching over them. Damian spun around in a circle, looking at the damage from last night's storm. Two houses had caved in roofs, some had broken walls. However, a day's hard work would fix that up in no time. Latov held up the sword in front of his eyes, the rays of light bouncing off the shiny blade like a mirror. He nodded to himself with a smile, putting the sword away into a strong leather sheath with a strap attached to it. He put it down next to him, which also caused Damian to notice another item, seeming to be a bag. He would be going soon. It wasn't likely they'd have him do any work for the moment. He would be leaving soon. Damian walked around the village, surveying the damage. Everything was fine, except those few houses, but luckily there were no casualties. Time passed.

"Damian!" A voice called to him. He was leaning against the library wall, under a small wooden hang over. He pushed himself off with his arms, heading towards the entrance/exit of the village. Everyone was waiting there, except Meeth, who he assumed was still on watch duty.

"Are you ready to go?" Latov asked him as Damian stood, staring at the exit. Yes, he was a little surprised to actually be leaving for awhile, especially by himself. Latov handed him the sheathed sword, along with a bag with another strap connected to it.

"Inside the bag is some food and water, along with my letter to the royal family." Latov told him, which Damian had already guessed what was in there. He pulled the bag and the sword over his head, the point at his left side, the hilt up at his right shoulder. The strap of the bag was strongly sewed to bag so that it didn't dangle down, closed shut by a simple latch. Al handed him a small yellow bag, a black zigzag going around it.

"A magicite bag?" Damian asked him, holding the pouch in his hand. He could feel the magicites click as they rummaged around.

"You never know what could happen." Al pointed out, as he pulled the small strap through one of the loops on his pants. He was ready. A sword, magicites and the letter. Time to get moving.

"I'm ready." Damian turned towards the exit, a small dirt hill leading up and then down.

"Good luck!" Everyone called out to him as he began to walk off into the wilderness. He waved and turned his head as he walked on.

It was time. He had no clue what he would encounter. Creatures? Caravans? It was all a mystery. But, that's what was so exciting. Latov forgot to mention it, but he had a drawn map of the path. The piece of paper was pretty large, but was folded up small. He also had written out what land marks he should look for. Just by looking at it, Damian could tell the trek may take two days, three at most, one if he has no delays. Delays were inevitable though. Damian walked into the open plains, watching as numerous bugs and wildlife ran around. It was the start of a new adventure.

_**One he would never forget.**_


	2. Chapter 2 (Includes Chapter 3 Preview)

**Whispers of Destiny – Chapter 2, Part 1 - To the City**

The air was fresh, the land untouched by humans or others alike. It was simply breathtaking. The sun caused the grass to shimmer with a green-golden color. The trees swayed lightly in the wind. Animals roamed, in packs or by themselves. Bugs flew around constantly. The land seemed to stretch for miles, meeting. No sign of the city, but the map assisted him. According to it, he could find a large tree near the Gilded Meadows, and can use that to point him in the direction of the next landmark. The map showed a detailed path of where he needed to go. For the moment, he just needed to head straight. That would take him to the meadow, which he could find the tree and head towards the next one. He folded the map back to its small size, placing it in the leather pack and latching it shut. Damian took a deep breath.

"Let's go!" He shouted, his voice echoing amongst the lively plains. His pace picked up, the wind blowing his hair away from his eyes. It felt great. Never had he felt this exhilarated. Never had he journeyed to an unknown place he knew next to nothing about. It was a bit frightening at first, but the adventure behind it was spectacular. It was time to see the world with his own eyes.

He continued onward, taking breaks here and there to regain his energy. The animals mostly ignored him, some coming near him to see if he was a hunter or not. He, again, pulled out the map. Judging by the drawings, he was about halfway there. He could safely assume that he would get there before sundown, and could campout until the morning. Out of all the paths, this was the longest, but most linear one. He stood up, picking the pace up again. It wouldn't be too long.

_**[A few hours later…]**_

Damian could see it. The large tree stood tall, the trunk expanding over a wide area. The shadow cast below the leaves was dark, but scattered with bits of light. The sky was a magnificent blend of blue and orange, the two colors seeming to clash for dominance over the sky. The clouds were dark from passing by the sun, but were slowly becoming invisible as the sky grew darker and darker. Soon, the moon ruled the sky. The flowers that bloomed around the tree were bathed in the soft, white light of the moon. Never had Damian seen such a sight from the village. It was wonderful. However, he didn't have time to waste. He gathered branches that fell from the top of the tree, piling them into a teepee style. He cracked open a small fire magicite, placing it inside the wood. It caught ablaze. The wood from the tree was thick and durable; it shouldn't burn out for awhile.

Damian took this time to collect his thoughts. Just thinking about how big the world around him was amazing. He had only trekked from the village to the meadows, but it took a day's worth of time. It just proved to him how large his surroundings were, how vast. Damian sat near the fire, warming his hands. The breeze was cool and not too cold. Despite the perfectness that seemed to be set up for him, he could feel something. He knew it would happen soon. Something that would terrorize that perfectness. And, so it did.

Growls filled his ears. He jumped back, grabbing the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at any second. The moonlight reflected off the infuriated, red eyes. Wild wolves. But, these weren't normal. Normal wolves did not have red eyes. No known wolves had red eyes. However, that was not the problem. He kicked up a spare branch, sticking it inside the fire. It lit; a circle of light surrounded him like a barrier. He drew the sword, gripping it tightly in his right hand, the flaming branch in his left. Damian advanced slowly. The wolves backed up as he continued to walk forward. They began to bark, now closing in on him. Damian swung the makeshift torch at them, causing them to leap backwards. It was a known trick. He didn't want to kill them, if possible.

"Back!" Damian shouted as he swung the torch, protecting his camp. The wolves couldn't get closer. They turned away, seeming to walk away. Damian sighed in relief, putting the stick down and extinguishing it with his foot. But, his worries were then brought back to fruition. He saw a gleam in the distance. Metal?

"An arrow!" He whispered alarmingly to himself. He sidestepped out of the way, the arrow puncturing the tree. Remnants of lightning could be seen around the arrow. A thunder magicite was on it?

"Did he hurt you, my babies?" A voice said behind him. Damian turned around. The four wolves were sitting around a girl. She held a bow with some iron plating and strong string. Her hair was dark blue, long, falling down her back like a waterfall. She wore a flower in her hair with a wooden pin. Her skin was slightly tan, but more on the pale side, like Damian's. She wore leather gloves with plates of iron sewn onto the back of the palm, along with leather boots. She wore a dark blue skirt with green designs, along with a shirt that covered her semi-large bust, leaving the bottom part of her torso exposed. She opened her eyes. An emerald green, reflecting the moon. However, despite her beauty, Damian could sense it. A fight. A battle. It was imminent.

"Are you the one who fought back?" She stood up, looking him directly in the eyes with an innocent smile.

"Who are you?" He asked, "More importantly, what do you want?"

"Oh my, aggressive, are we?" She giggled. He was not in this for the games. Damian tightened his grip on the sword.

"I'm Cristal, and who might you be?" She asked him, her tone was soothing, but partially hostile.

"Damian**–**!" He was cut off by an arrow that he barely dodged. Before he knew it, he was plunged into battle.

_**The battle of the Skilled Sword, and the Forest's Gemstone.**_

Damian had not noticed it, but she had a sheathed sword attached to her belt, next to the quiver on her waist. She drew her sword, lunging at him. He sidestepped, placing his blade to the other, pushing it into a lock. The swords were formed into an X, both pushing against each other. Damian pulled out, back stepping away. Cristal came at him again, slashing at him masterfully and with great speed. However, he was faster. He blocked each strike, one after another, the last strike, pushing her sword away from him. An open strike, however in her hand, she held a fire magicite. Damian kicked upwards, knocking the magicite out of her hand while gaining some distance. He pocketed it, as he noticed Cristal pull out her bow. Impaled onto the arrow, she had another fire magicite that lit it aflame. Along with that, she shot three arrows at a time, three times. A volley of nine. They were all targeted to hit in the range he could dodge. He had to think. He thought back to his lessons on magic. That's when it clicked into his mind. He pulled out two ice magicites, dropping them onto the ground. He slashed them both with a horizontal slash, creating a medium sized ice wall that caught the arrows. The flame arrow melted the wall quickly, turning it into a large puddle cluttered with arrows. Cristal came at him with her sword again. He dodged her frontal assault, pulling out a thunder magicite. He threw it up into the air, slashing downward. The magicite reacted, causing a small lightning bolt to shock the puddle of water. It was a good idea, but she had already gotten away from it just in time. Their fight had taken them away from the tree. They were equally matched, but Damian had an idea that might just work. He stepped forward, then dashed with great speed. He could feel it next to him. A wolf came at him as he focused on Cristal. She smiled victoriously. However, as the wolf leaped at him with his mouth open, Damian threw a thunder magicite into it's through, which he had already cracked before he threw it. The magicite shocked the wolf from the inside, causing it to feint. His hand moved quickly upward, before he took a quick few slashes, actually not hoping to land one. It was a distraction. Their swords locked in a cross formation. Damian jumped back, as he threw two fire magicites in stepping distance. Cristal pulled out her bow. She had a clear shot that could knock him out, but, she hadn't foreseen his next and final attack. Damian hopped a little bit into the air, crushing the two magicites, before taking a step off them. He smiled. When he threw his hand up, he had thrown a fire magicite into the air. He pierced the orb as it fell from the sky, pointing forward at Cristal. The sequence began as he spoke—

"Burning Whip!" Damian slashed the air with his sword, the blast from the magicite propelling forward off the blade as a flamethrower. It was as if it were whip, as he had said. Cristal had never seen such a well planned spell, nor had she even seen a combination of magicites as masterfully done in battle as he did. Damian could not see what happened. He finished it off by slashing the two fire magicites on the ground, which were already crushed and ready to initiate, into a flame wall just as a precaution. Nothing came at him though. The fire faded. Cristal stood not too far away, her gloves and boots slightly charred. Her arms and legs were covered in burn marks. He could see it in her eyes though. She smiled, walking towards him. Was it a test? No, it seemed much more than that. But, why? Cristal stopped in front of him and held out her hand.

"I'm Cristal. Nice to meet you." She said cheerfully. Damian was still weary, but could feel her hostile attitude and tone fade.

"I'm Damian. Likewise." He shook her hand, looking at the sky. The moon was still high up there, but it wouldn't be too long before morning. He already had questions about this girl. She appeared out of nowhere with those wolves, and attacked him. But, now she was docile. Did she know that she couldn't beat him, or what? Damian didn't find himself all that powerful in brute strength, but when it came to mind games and speed, he was good at that. However, he could feel it. This girl—Cristal, was as if she were one with the land, the forest, the air.

Damian sheathed his sword, but was still wary of another attack. He let his hand fall to his side, but he kept it ready just in case. He let out a sigh of slight exhaustion, sitting near the fire that still stood lit, under the massive tree. Cristal was not too far away. She was currently caring for the wolf that was electrocuted by the magicite Damian had used. He felt bad about it, but on the other hand, if he didn't do that the fight might still be occurring. He pulled out the canteen in his leather bag, taking a sip. By the look of things, morning wouldn't come for a few more hours. He planned to embark as soon as the sun began to rise.

Damian glanced over at Cristal. She held a healing magicite over the wolf, covering it in a soft green aura. Its eyes opened no longer red. They were dark yellow, back to how they should have been. Was something controlling the tamed beast? He had heard tales of animals and humans being controlled by ancient gemstone, but he never thought it was true. Still, this did not convince him it was real. Cristal guided the wolf near the fire, taking a seat next to Damian who was now leaning against the tree.

"Is he going to be okay?" He asked.

"He'll be fine." She assured, "He just needs some rest is all."

"I apologize for that." Damian laughed slightly to lighten the mood. He pulled out the map from the bag, unfolding it to see where he would have to head next.

"Where are you heading?" She asked, leaning forward to look at the map.

"Rebena Te Ra, the city." He pointed to his destination, "I'm meeting someone to get an herb for medicine."

"What about you?" He questioned, looking over at her. She stared at the map, before shaking her head.

"Same place." She said, looking up at the sky.

Damian wondered what she needed to get from the city, but he refrained from asking. Even though she had, he didn't really want to know. No, wait. She hadn't asked. He told her straight out. It was weird. Damian shrugged in his mind, putting the map away. Getting any kind of rest now was pointless. A long silence ensued between the two, as the only sounds able to be heard—

_**Were the cries of wolves, looking for their lost master.**_

He managed to get a little sleep, but was wary of Cristal. Even though she seemed kind enough after their battle and didn't fret over the fact that he injured her wolf, she was still a possible threat. His eyesight was still a little blurry, but returned to him clearly after a few blinks. Damian had been used to sleeping outside ever since he was a little boy. His father would take him to the woods and they would lie down and look at the stars. That was something that always interested him. Cristal, who had not left, was lying on her side, facing him. Her sleeping face was peaceful, and she had a smile. Damian sighed. Was she planning on going with him? She had said that she was going to Rebenna Te Ra, but nothing more. However, it would be better to bring along someone who knew their way around the battlefield and around the land. He could already tell that Cristal knew the layout of the land better than he did.

Damian shook Cristal with his hand. Her eyes tightened before opening slightly. The sun from the sunrise reflected off her emerald eyes. She looked at Damian, who had a normal expression. Frankly, he wanted to get on the road before wasting too much time, but he also wanted to bring Cristal along if they were going to the same place. Cristal yawned, sitting up and leaning against the tree.

"We don't have time to waste." Damian told her while beginning to stand up. He quickly put his blade and bag over his shoulder back on how he had it before.

"Eh?" Cristal glanced over at him.

"Come on, you knew it would lead to this didn't you?" Damian asked her. Cristal began to laugh slightly.

"I didn't think you would actually let me come with you." She tried to contain her unnecessary laughter. Damian sighed again, putting his hand against the side of his head.

Cristal stood up, stretching. Damian, who had realized her beauty when he first saw her, had not gotten the chance to look at her outside of battle. However, he didn't let that dissuade him. He could feel it. The time slowly ticking away. The time the twins had left. Even though it might've just been a sickness that keeps them from awaking, Damian could feel it. Those two—

_**Would die soon.**_ That's why he had no time to wait.

"Let's get going." Damian rushed her, already setting onto the path the map had showed. Cristal quickly caught up to him, walking side by side. Damian felt it would be the right time to ask her something.

"Why are you heading to the city?" He continued to look forward, as a barren path could be seen. The path that was showed in the map.

"There's something I need to get from there." She simply said, but Damian could hear it in her tone. She was partially lying to him, but it was as if she wanted him to know she was lying.

"Alright." He accepted it, looking up at the sky as they continued the trek.

"Are you running against the clock?" Cristal asked him, noticing his worried expression.

"You can tell?" He laughed quietly.

"You look worried." She bent down, looking at his face while continuing to walk.

"If I don't get this medicine soon, I feel like something bad is going to happen." Damian clenched his fist tightly.

"Like what?" Cristal questioned him further. He didn't answer this time. He stared at the ground, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes. He stopped in his tracks. Cristal knew what that meant.

"Let's get moving." Damian picked up the pace to a running speed.

"H-hey! Wait up!" She called to him as he continued to sprint.

_**[A few hours later…]**_

"That's what you get for running too much." Cristal stood in front of Damian, who was crouched underneath a tree to catch his breath. However, that is not why he was there.

"Really, how can you—"

"Shh!" Damian silenced her. He ran out from under the tree. The sun was setting, but that's not was bothering him. Storm clouds circled around in the sky, seeming to quickly be covering the orange sky. He was correct. The grey puffs covered the surface with a dark shadow. Normally, that would just mean a storm. But, it was different. Cristal shivered.

"What is this?" She could feel the land around her cower in fear. Damian could feel it too. At that moment—

_**A bolt of black and red lighting, stroke the ground with great force, causing a massive explosion.**_

**Preview of Chapter 3 –**

** "What do you want with them?!" Damian shouted at the figure in the cloak. But no answer. He drew his sword, the rain blasting against him, the wind working against him, the world around him out to kill him. **

** "I won't let you!" He rushed forward into the battle.**

** "Fool." The cloaked figure whispered with a hum of a tune.**

** "Yuri!" Damian called out to his friend as he was trapped into a storm of black fire.**

** "Damian!" Cristal cried out to him as blood splattered to the ground.**

_**(Just a small thing I would try. It's not exactly permanent, tell me what you think)**_


End file.
